Western Michigan banking on depth, new leadership for defensive resurgence

Kalamazoo — Depth is the name of the game with Western Michigan’s reformed defense this year. 

The Broncos return 14 players on the defense with some playing experience, from established veteran playmakers like safety Tate Hallock and defensive lineman Tyson Lee to some up-and-coming talents. And infused into the collection of returning defenders are 14 transfers who have made the Western Michigan defense into a unit that players and coaches alike feel can be a pronounced strength. 

And all of the players on the defense are following a new voice, defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary, who joined Western Michigan in the offseason after a year coaching safeties for the Los Angeles Chargers. Prior, O’Leary was a defensive assistant at Notre Dame. 

And the blend of experience, new talent and new direction has the Broncos feeling bullish about the defense less than a year removed from finishing No. 109 nationally in total defense.

“Coach [Lance] Taylor's really implemented a lot of just grit and implemented us just going more and more and getting more out of us from the first year he's gotten here to now,” defensive lineman Tyson Lee said. “I've seen a big change with just our program and just how he holds our players accountable and how he holds us to a standard, especially with coach O'Leary, as well, him being an NFL guy, he holds to a different standard. He holds us like NFL guys. He knows what it is. So if you want to be an NFL guy, you kind of have to go off of what he's telling you. It's very technical, very, very technical and you really have to be on top of your stuff. But we're very close. Very, very close. “

The new crop of players do have some key spots to fill, namely making up the tackles that left with leading tackler Donald Willis and someone to step into the outside corner role vacated by Baltimore Ravens draft pick Bilhal Kone. 

Of the 14 returning players with experience on the Western Michigan defense, six play defensive line, six are defensive backs and two are linebackers. 

Arguably the best of the returners is safety Tate Hallock, who finished second on the team in tackles in 2024 and had a team-high four interceptions, which tied him for fifth-place nationally among individuals. 

Hallock and the rest of the defensive backs saw the most additions to their room, as Western Michigan has seven new players via the transfer portal in the defense back. Western Michigan also added a trio of linebackers and four more defensive linemen. 

And regardless of who seizes starting or rotational roles, it’s given Western Michigan immense experienced depth across the defense. Only two of the 14 incoming transfers haven’t seen college action, including San Diego State transfer defensive back Jason Mitchell, who redshirted 2024 after coming to college as a four-star prospect. 

So Western Michigan will enter Week 1 against Michigan State, health permitting, with six defensive linemen, five linebackers and 11 defensive backs who have played at least one game of college football. 

“I feel like everybody as a whole is good and we've got a lot of guys, especially depth at every position,” Moon said. “I feel like we've got a lot of guys that can play ball.”

And with depth comes versatility, as the Broncos have said since MAC media day in July that the way the unit can morph personnel and looks to best attack an opposing offense could be its greatest strength. 

Depth, of course, also gives license to defenders to give maximum effort every play, knowing they can catch their breath with a capable substitute taking their spot for a spell. And, of course, it protects against one or two injuries unraveling the unit. 

“We'll be able to make a good run, and we'll be able to win a lot of games because of that,” Moon said.

The final step is merging it all together in camp, bringing along the transfers to the point that they’re just part of the team. And by the time the Broncos roll into Spartan Stadium on Aug. 29, the hope is this deep and remade defense can lead the charge. 

And after two weeks of camp, the Broncos defenders feel like they’re on the cusp of putting it all together. And they know they have to.

“The game of football is a game of inches,” Lee said. “Like that one little lapse can cost you a game, cost you a MAC championship, cost you everything, a bowl game. So that little 10 percent that we've gotta get these next two weeks is a big difference between being what we were last year, being subpar, or being great, where we want to be this year.”